Missionaries in the Liberia Monrovia Mission who gathered to hear from Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Feb. 23 received a renewed testimony of their missionary purpose and of God’s plan of salvation.
Elder Josue Ndara from Rwanda called the meeting the most miraculous experience he has had on his mission.
“I mostly liked his radiant smile as he testified of the love of our Savior for each one of us,” he said. “Elder Christofferson is indeed a special witness of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Christofferson was in Liberia as part of a ministry visit to the Africa West Area, which also included meetings in Ghana, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. He met with young single adults, missionaries, leaders and members throughout the area.
As they discussed missionary work in Liberia, Elder Ndara said Elder Christofferson testified that the Book of Mormon is the key to their success.
“When we read it diligently and prayerfully, we can become converted unto the Lord. Our harvest as missionaries becomes small when we do not use it,” Elder Ndara said.
Elder Sheku Makieu from Sierra Leone said Elder Christofferson taught the Book of Mormon is the instrument of conversion for missionaries, who are called in this dispensation to take the gospel to all the nations of the world.
“That motivated me to study the Book of Mormon every day and to use it more often to help others draw closer to the Savior,” Elder Makieu said. He said he knew the Spirit was teaching him of the truthfulness of the message, because he had never felt that way before.
Expounding upon the missionary purpose
Missionaries often recite the missionary purpose, which is: “Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.”
Elder Christofferson spoke about the origin of that statement as he read from Doctrine and Covenants 20:29-31 with the Liberia missionaries. This passage speaks of repentance, faith, justification and sanctification through the Savior Jesus Christ.
Elder Tyler Larsen from Hooper, Utah, called it an eye-opening discussion.
“Elder Christofferson expounded that we are to help others receive the grace of Jesus Christ: being forgiven and having the effects of sin taken away. It felt like my purpose became so much more clear, and the happiness of the gospel, the joy, is what we were supposed to bring to these people,” Elder Larsen said.
Ever since the meeting, Elder Larsen said he has been pondering how the service he has offered has brought him closer to the Lord.
“As I try to prepare myself to follow my purpose to receive the grace of Jesus Christ in my own life and help others receive it as well, on my mission and after, I hope to never hold back in giving my whole self as an offering to the Lord,” he said.
Those same scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants helped Sister Matilda Ackah from Ghana understand more about repentance.
“It made me understand that indeed repentance is a process and for us to fully repent so we cannot go to the same sin,” she said. “We should always endure in the faith we have so it can help sanctify us and lead us.”
Elder Lote Robanakadavu from Fiji said he feels more strongly now that he can help gather Israel and thus prepare a covenant people worthy to receive Jesus Christ when He comes again.
“It’s OK to have hard days while serving, many have gone through darker days,” Elder Robanakadavu said he learned during the meeting. “There’s a reason why it’s called missionary work and not missionary play.”
Elder Christofferson said that full-time missionaries must “do it for the Lord.” Sister Hainite Siale from Tonga said that phrase really stood out to her because when she started her mission, she would often think of her dad being proud of her because it was his dream and hers for her to serve a mission.
“I would sometimed say, ‘This one is for us, Dad,’ but Elder Christofferson strongly reminded me to ‘do it for the Lord,’” Sister Siale said. “It’s your decision if you want to do it for the Lord or just for others to see you are going on a mission.”
Covenants with the Lord
The missionaries had opportunities to ask questions of Elder Christofferson and the other leaders who were with him, including Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder Alfred Kyungu, General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Africa West Area presidency.
Elder Ndara said Elder Christofferson emphasized the importance of the sacrament while answering their questions and how partaking of the bread and water allows them to renew the covenants they made with the Lord.
“The sacrament is very helpful in the divine process of justification and sanctification. These two words became understandable when he replaced them with forgiveness and cleansing,” Elder Ndara said.
Elder Makieu added, “Elder Christofferson said that we don’t only take the sacrament to remember the Savior’s Atonement but also feel the power of the Atonement. That’s really something I personally have never focused on and that’s the most important reason for taking the sacrament.”
Renewing covenants each week through the sacrament is part of being a covenant keeper, said Sister Sarah Odunga from Kenya, and covenant keepers receive God’s blessings and protection against the adversary.
She had been experiencing insomnia and stress as she questioned God about many different things.
“A few minutes prior to the commencement of the devotional, I was silently praying to be able to feel the Spirit of the Lord and learn of it,” Sister Odunga said. “Afterward, I felt like a huge load had been lifted, and I felt relieved from worries.”
Sister Ackah learned to make her prayers be more sincere and from her heart. She also realized that she shouldn’t always expect answers to come at the very moment she prays.
“We should always remember God works in mysterious ways. He can decide when is the appropriate time to answer us,” she said.
Elder Christofferson also spoke about trust, prompting Elder Robanakadavu to write down, “Can God trust me?” And Elder Dylan Ncube from Zimbabwe said he has been pondering that as well.
“Now I understand that first we need to be trusted by our Heavenly Father so then we can hope to play a great part in time or eternity and then have that love for those around us,” Elder Ncube said.
Meeting with members in Liberia
After the missionary meeting, Elder Christofferson presided over a devotional with members from six stakes at the Centennial Pavilion in Monrovia.
The members are looking forward to a new temple, which was announced in October 2021 general conference. Elder Christofferson counseled the congregation to “make a list of any unworthy things you can take out of your lives and Christlike qualities you can bring into your lives before the temple is dedicated.”
He added, “We need to make and keep covenants — doing that simply means changing from doing the things we want and doing the things Heavenly Father wants us to do.”
Elder Christofferson offered a special blessing to the Liberian Saints: “We are a small number in Liberia, but if we are faithful to the commandments of God, He will bless this whole nation”.
Missionaries from the earlier meeting like Elder Larsen attended the devotional and said the Spirit was strong.
“I loved when he talked about bringing an offering to the house of the Lord and how we are the offering we bring,” he said.
Sister Siale said as Elder Christofferson was about to leave from the pavilion, she found herself crying.
“Only my companion knew, and she asked what happened. I whispered to her, ‘See how the Lord loves us; He sent an Apostle just to speak directly to the people of Liberia.’ I then said to myself, ‘Indeed the Lord loves all of His children,’” Sister Siale said.
